Postdoctoral studies in chronic pain research (scholarship)

Role Overview
Postdoctoral studies in chronic pain research (scholarship)
Do you want to investigate cellular mechanisms underlying persistent pain? We invite applications for a postdoctoral position in Prof. Camilla Svensson’s team, focused on uncovering cellular and molecular mechanisms driving chronic pain in fibromyalgia. The position is based at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Karolinska Institutet, which offers a collegial, international, and dynamic research environment. We provide an exciting, open, and collaborative research setting where you can contribute to translational research with strong clinical relevance.

Responsibilities
The postdoctoral fellow joining the team will investigate skin-associated mechanisms contributing to pain in fibromyalgia. The project focuses on pathological changes in the skin and the role of autoantibodies and neuroimmune interactions in persistent pain. The work will involve analyses of patient and healthy control skin biopsies using advanced immunohistochemistry (IHC), high-resolution imaging, and spatial transcriptomics approaches. The project will also include studies of human primary skin cell cultures to characterize functional and molecular changes associated with fibromyalgia. You will work closely with preclinical and clinical researchers, computational biologists, and biostatisticians in an interdisciplinary environment aimed at generating new insights into fibromyalgia pathology and chronic pain mechanisms.

Requirements and Qualifications
Postdoctoral scholarships may be established for foreign researchers who pursue their merit in Sweden. A foreign researcher is a person living in another country who comes to Sweden with the intention of only staying in Sweden for all or part of their postdoctoral education at KI. Persons who are resident in Sweden and/or have carried out all or part of their academic education at KI or some other educational institution in Sweden cannot be considered for scholarships. The purpose of scholarships for postdoctoral qualification is to promote internationalization and contribute to research qualification after a doctorate or equivalent. A scholarship for carrying out postdoctoral research can be granted for a maximum of two years within a four-year period following the receipt of a doctoral degree or equivalent. To be eligible for a postdoctoral scholarship, the person must have obtained a doctorate, or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a doctorate. Applicants who have not completed a doctorate at the end of the application period may also apply, provided that all requirements for a completed degree are met before the (intended) start date of the post-doctoral education.

Requirements:
- PhD in neuroscience, immunology, cell biology, biomedical science, or a closely related field
- Strong background in neurobiology, immunology, neuroinflammation, skin biology, or related disciplines
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Proactive, responsible, and able to take initiative
- Excellent written and spoken English
- Strong communication skills in both scientific writing and presentations
- Strong references from previous supervisors or mentors

Meritorious:
Practical experience with:
- Immunohistochemistry or immunocytochemistry
- Confocal or advanced microscopy
- Imaging analysis
- Primary cell cultures

Experience with:
- Spatial transcriptomics
- RNA-based methods
- Image analysis pipelines
- Human tissue analysis

What They Offer
A creative and inspiring environment with wide-ranging expertise and interests. Karolinska Institutet is one of the world's leading medical universities. Here, we conduct innovative medical research and provide the largest range of biomedical education in Sweden. At KI, you get to meet researchers working with a wide range of specialisms and methods, giving you ample opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with the various scientific fields within medicine and health. It is the crossover collaborations, which have pushed KI to where it is today, at the forefront of global research. Several of the people you meet in healthcare are educated at KI. A close relationship with the health care providers is important for creating groundbreaking top quality education and research. Students and employees have free access to our modern gym facilities with trained staff on site.

Location: Solna

Type of scholarship
The amount is tax free and it is set for twelve months at a time, paid out on a six months basis. In exceptional cases, shorter periods may be acceptable.